NH1 News

HUDSON - The woman accused of setting up and then stealing from a GoFundMe account to help a family with their daughter's funeral expenses told police she took the money because she needed to pay for her gastric bypass surgery bills.

According to court paperwork, Krystal Gentley, 27, of Nashua, admitted to taking the $5,000 from the account set up to help bury Tabitha Fauteux, her former friend who died of a heroin overdose in November 2015. Gentley told investigators she took the money because her husband lost his job and she needed the money to buy Christmas presents and to pay for her gastric bypass surgery bills. She took the money out in three installments - the first for $2,880, the second for $92, and the final withdrawal was for $1,951 and she told police she intended to pay it back once her husband got another job, according to court documents.

Gentley was charged with a felony count of theft by deception. Gentley faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Fauteux's family said they learned of the GoFundMe account set up by Gentley through social media. When the family contacted Gentley, she promised to give them the money, but then kept ducking them. The family reported the theft to police in January. Gentley and Fauteux were friends and roommates at one point.

Gentley has been ordered not to contact the family or set up any GoFundMe accounts while her case is pending trial.